Five Minutes Difference
by Lady DiMera
Summary: What if Anna had made that plane to Salem that left five minutes earlier? Would she have been able to see her husband, Tony, one last time?
1. Chapter 1

Anna sighed a ragged breath of relief as she made that plane to Salem. Only five minutes had made the difference. She almost hadn't made it and would have had to wait another six hours for the next flight. That she had made this flight was a miracle. It had not been easy to disentangle herself from the advertising campaign that she had been working so diligently on, but when she explained that her husband was seriously hurt and in the ICU, everyone understood. And quite frankly, she didn't give a damn if Dimera Advertising did lose the business. She didn't give a damn if she ended up penniless, living out of a cardboard box. All she cared about was getting back to Tony.

For what must have been the hundredth time, she burst into an embarrassing state of tears. The man sitting next to her on the plane shifted uncomfortably, obviously not wanting to be witness to a hysterical woman. But she couldn't help herself.

Tony had been out of her life for so long before. It was too cruel of fate to bring him back into her life, only to sweep him away again. And she felt like it was her fault. She had stayed away from him for too long, spent too many evenings over hot cocoa with Carrie and Austin in Switzerland. With Will having come back to Salem, they seemed especially eager for her company; and it was nice to be needed. But she should have known. She should have known that somehow Stefano would play mind games with Tony and get him into trouble. Oh, she knew that his fall on the pier was supposedly "an accident", but she didn't buy it. Stefano had never wanted Tony to escape that island, and he certainly had not wanted Tony to play any part in the Dimera Empire.

Anna was not the most religious woman in the world. She usually preferred to sleep in rather than actually make it to church. But now, she closed her eyes and prayed. God, I know I've done bad things in my life, she begged silently. But don't punish Tony for them. Please, I'll do anything…please…

-----------------------------------

As she raced from the taxi into the entrance of Salem University Hospital, Anna was fervently wishing that she was not wearing high heels. Tripping and breaking her neck would do Tony no good! And her narrow red skirt was doing her no favors either. Every second seemed like an agonizing eternity as she stood in the elevator, waiting to get to the third floor. She shuddered, remembering that the last time she had set foot in the hospital was when Stefano had come out of his coma and had gassed everybody. And now here she was again in this place, courtesy of Stefano Dimera.

As the elevator doors opened, Anna was actually face to face with the monster that she was thinking of.

Stefano's dark eyes were wide in shock at the sight of her. He had been crying, Anna realized, feeling more nauseous than she had already been feeling. Things must really be bad if Stefano Dimera was in tears.

"Anna?" he asked in shock.

"Get the hell out of my way!" she growled, pushing past him. "Where's Tony?"

EJ, standing beside his father, answered grimly, "Room 305. Hurry."

Unheeding of her heels, Anna ran to Room 305, fighting back a hysterical scream.

Entering the room, the first thing she was aware of was a loud frantic beeping sound of hospital equipment. Oh, God, she panicked. He's dying!

Anna's view of Tony was completely blocked off. Getting a good look at her, Anna realized it was Nicole Walker Kiriakis, EJ's fiancé.

"What's going on?" she asked shrilly. "What's happening to Tony?"

As Nicole turned to face Anna, her expression changed from that of a satisfied cat to a frightened mouse. For a brief millisecond, she wondered why on earth the woman had been looking so smug under these circumstances. But it didn't matter right now.

"Tony?" she cried out desperately, racing to his side.

The sight of her husband stunned her. She had never seen him look so deathly pale. He had all manner of tubes connected to his body. And despite everything, he was still a sight for her sore eyes. She thanked God that he was still alive, that there was still some time for them, no matter how brief.

For some reason, Tony was in a state of agitation, his eyes narrowed in anger and his heartbeat racing. That explained the manic beeping of the heart rate monitor.

"Sweetheart…" she begged, grabbing a nearby chair and pulling it by the bed. "Why are you so upset? Aren't you happy to see me, huh?"

"He can't talk."

Anna glared at the blonde woman who had no place here. For some reason she couldn't put her finger on, she had a bad feeling about what had transpired before she had arrived. And Nicole had everything to do with it.

"Could I be alone with my husband, please?" Anna asked coldly.

"Of course."

Nicole left with seeming reluctance, closing the door softly behind her.

Now that they were finally alone, Anna had to fight harder than ever to keep from crying. Usually, Tony was the one who always gave her the shoulder to cry on. But for his sake, she had to be strong, calling on an inner courage that she wasn't sure she possessed. Taking his weak hand in both of hers, she kissed his palm lovingly. Holding his hand against her cheek, she took a few deep breaths. That's what Tony always told her to do when she was upset. To take deep breaths…

And she was okay, she told herself. She was here by Tony's side now. It would be okay…no matter what…

When Anna looked up at her husband at last, she saw tears streaming down his face. Somehow that bothered her even more than seeing Stefano cry. But she was relieved to see that his heart rate was lowering back to normal.

"I can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" she scolded, half-heartedly. "You'd better get well soon, Tony, because you're not getting out of taking me to New York City that easily! And I'm too young to be a widow."

For a moment, he looked as if he were about to laugh…but then his eyes cringed in pain. Apparently, the anesthetic could only help him so much.

"I'm sorry…" she said quickly. "Sorry."

For a while, Anna sat in silence, stroking his hair gently.

"I know it must be hard, but you should try to rest…if you can…"

Tony flinched, making his objection to the idea well known. And he squeezed her hand as a signal.

"I'll be here, Tony. You know how hard it is to get rid of me. Will you close your eyes, please?"

With a labored sigh, Tony grudgingly closed his eyes.

"That's a good boy…" she soothed. "We should just pretend we're somewhere else for a while. Where should we be?"

Anna considered.

"I know. We could be at Blondie's. Remember Liz's night club? And we were dancing together. Remember how happy we were then?"

She began to hum softly.

"What are you doing the rest of your life?" she crooned softly, like the way she used to sing lullabies to Carrie. "North and south and east and west of your life. I have only one request of your life…that you spend it all with me…" Suddenly, her voice began to choke up with fresh tears. So she just kept humming for a while.

Tony's breath was less labored. He seemed to have fallen asleep at last.

Anna bit her lip until it bled, but she could not hold back the violent sobs that seemed to take over her whole body. She had never been so afraid…

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"Anna?"

The voice came from out of a fog amidst the constant beeping of the heart rate monitor – the beeping that was both a source of annoyance and reassurance at the same time. Not awake but not really asleep, she moaned slightly, sitting up in the uncomfortable chair.

"Lexie…" she murmured softly.

"Anna, maybe you should go down to the lounge and rest a bit. If anything happens, I'll call you."

Anna shook her head fiercely. Tony needed her around to keep the gargoyles like Stefano and Nicole away.

Lexie sighed and studied Tony's chart. "I have some good news," she said with a soft smile. "Tony's stats seem to be improving. I think you're the best medicine he could have."

Anna began to sob again. God, how many tears could one person cry?

"Is he going to make it?" she asked, desperately.

"It's too soon to say, Anna…but every bit of improvement helps at this point. Tony's so lucky to have you in his life."

"No…" Anna protested. "I'm the lucky one; even when I was too stupid to know it."

"How's Tony?"

Anna looked back to see Dr. Kayla Johnson standing in the doorway of Room 305.

"Kayla!" she cried out, standing up. "I'm so glad you're here!"

Anna and Kayla exchanged a long tearful hug. Just looking into her friend's bright blue eyes reassured her somehow.

"Lexie called me in to help with Tony's case," Kayla informed her. "We're going to do all we can to stabilize him. Stefano Dimera's not too crazy about me being involved, but…"

"I'll deal with Stefano," Anna said, too upset to care about possible consequences. "Just do what you can to save my husband."

"I will," she assured her. "I promise. Why don't you go with Steve and get something to eat? You have to take care of yourself. It won't do Tony any good if you get sick too."

"If I eat, I'll just throw up…" Anna protested.

"Come on, Anna…" Steve urged. "We can get you some herbal tea for your nerves. Let Lexie and Kayla do what they need to do, okay?"

Turning to kiss Tony's cheek, Anna then reluctantly left Tony's room, allowing Steve to lead her to the hospital cafeteria.

Once seated with their tea, Anna could only stare morosely at the drink, feeling completely drained.

"Tony's a tough dude," Steve said, trying to raise her spirits. "I know he'll get through this."

Anna nodded with a confidence she did not feel.

"I'm so grateful that Kayla's here. Really."

Steve took her hand, squeezing it with reassuring strength.

"Kayla can work miracles," he repeated. "And I know that first hand because look what she managed to do with a bum like me!"

Anna smiled, brushing away more tears.

"I used to be a bum too, you know," she confided. "Until I met Tony."

"You?" Steve asked, laughing. "I don't believe it."

"It's true. Tony taught me how to depend on myself rather than just using others. He taught me to value myself. A lot of people think of Tony as just Stefano Dimera's spoiled son, but he's really a wonderful human being, a good teacher…"

"I'm sure he is…"

Steve's voice was quiet and compassionate.

"And he's been tortured so much by having that monster as a father. I've seen it first hand."

"But he survived all of it! And he'll survive this too. You just have to have faith."

"I'm trying. I really am. I guess I always put on this front, you know. That all I care about is travel and clothes and spas. But without Tony, I'm nothing. He was always the strong one…you see? And seeing him in that hospital bed, I…just…"

EJ suddenly appeared at their table.

"Anna, you must go downstairs right away. It's Tony…"

"Is he okay?" she asked frantically.

"I don't know. We must hurry."

"Oh, God…I knew I should have never left his side…I knew it…"


	2. Chapter 2

When Steve, EJ and Anna arrived on the third floor, Anna was touched to see Roman there. Since Bo and Hope were the investigating cops on the case, Roman must have been there for pure support.

"Roman…" Anna begged, rushing to her ex-husband. "Is Tony okay?"

Roman just shook his head tersely, too upset to say anything.

"Oh, my God!"

Anna rushed to Room 305 to see Lexie and Kayla in his room, surrounded by paramedics, using electric paddles on Tony.

"NO…OH NOOOH!!!" Anna cried out.

"What is going on?" Stefano was there, having returned to see the chaos. "What is happening to my son?"

As a quick afterthought, one of the paramedics pulled the blinds on the room, shutting out Tony's fight for life. "No…" Anna ran to the window, feeling like those closed blinds shut out her last connection to Tony. "Please…I never even got a chance to say I love you…I love you…"

"It's all right, Anna," Roman assured her. "He knows. He knows…"

Suddenly, the room swam in front of her eyes dizzily. She was just aware of Roman's strong arms catching her before all went black.

-----------------------------------

"Anna…Anna…"

Once more, Anna had been lost in that unreal fog, pulled back to cruel reality.

EJ was sitting beside her. She had been placed on a sofa in the lounge area.

"Here, Anna…" EJ offered her a glass of water. "You must drink this."

"Tony!? Is he…?"

EJ nodded with a reassuring smile.

"He gave us a scare, but Lexie and Kayla pulled him out of it."

Anna seriously wondered how much more she could take. When she thought that Tony was dying, she felt as if she were dying with him.

"I need to see him."

"Kayla really thinks he shouldn't have any visitors right now. That last time was a little too close."

"What happened?" Anna cried out. "Tony had been asleep when I left. Lexie told me he had been doing better. What made him get so bad so fast?"

EJ shook his head, bemused. "I'm not sure. Nicole had been in his room, visiting with him. Suddenly, he just took a turn for the worst."

Again, that cold creeping suspicion crossed Anna's mind.

"EJ…why is Nicole so interested in Tony?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean that twice now she's been in his room when I thought it was policy that only close family members should be with him right now."

"Well, she is close. Tony's the godfather of our child; and I've noticed Nicole and Tony have been spending a lot of time together as of late."

"Oh, really…" Anna huffed. "And that doesn't bother you?"

"Why should it?"

Anna had no concrete answer to his question. As it was, their conversation was cut short when Nicole and Phillip Kiriakis entered the hospital lounge.

"This is so horrible…" Nicole volunteered in an innocent tone that Anna didn't quite believe. "Poor Tony. I hope he's going to be okay."

"We all hope so, sweetheart," EJ answered, admiring her with adoring eyes. "Why don't you call the house and check on Sydney. I worry about us being away from her for so long."

"That's a good idea," Nicole nodded, seeming all too relieved to leave.

Upset as Anna was, she noticed considerable hostility between EJ and Phillip.

"I'll just see how Tony's doing now." EJ abruptly stood up. "Anna, may I get you anything?"

Anna shook her head. Only a miracle…

Once EJ had left, Phillip Kiriakis approached her, his expression morose.

"I'm so sorry, Anna. What happened to Tony was an accident. You have to believe me!"

Anna studied the young man in front of her. He looked as if he were expecting her to lash out at him. She knew of the swirling accusations and suspicion against Phillip after his confrontation with Tony at the pier. But she was so confused. Since when had Tony had any hostilities with Phillip?

"I really don't understand…" she ventured, looking up at him. "What was going on with you and Tony?"

Phillip's expression became closed off.

"It was business," he answered shortly.

"What sort of business would Tony have with you?"

"I really can't get into it right now."

That pushed Anna's buttons.

"Phillip, I am a wife who is watching her husband fight for his life! Whatever business it was, it can't have been so damned important."

Phillip sighed. "We were in competition over a business venture, that's all."

"A business…?" Anna strained her memory. "Wait a minute, this isn't about Nick Fallon's project, is it?"

Phillip's silence gave her the answer.

"Tony and you were in a shoving match over that silly project?"

"It was a project worth millions of dollars."

"I DON'T CARE!!!" Anna raged before getting hold of herself.

But then she began to question the matter. She'd heard Tony mention that project a few times casually in the past. But when had he become so obsessed about it to the point of violence? Why was he so obsessed? She thought that he had wanted to gain his financial independence through their advertising company. And even so, fighting over a business project was unlike Tony. He could be brutally savage when it came to boardroom meetings and business deals, but he wasn't a thug about it.

"Anyway, I'm sorry…"

Anna glanced at Phillip, almost having forgotten he was there.

"It doesn't matter. As long as Tony lives, that's all. That's all that matters."

"Anna?" Roman appeared in the lounge. "You can go see Tony now."

Standing up suddenly, the room began to spin again.

"Here, let me help you." Roman took her by the arm, leading her to the elevator. "You know maybe you have low blood sugar or something. Can I get you something to eat?"

"I can't possibly choke down anything right now."

"Lady, this is the first time I've ever known you not to have an appetite…in all the years I've known you."

"This is the first time I've been so damned scared."

Roman gave her a reassuring hug just before the elevator arrived.

"Tony's conscious right now," Lexie informed her, once they arrived at Room 305. "We had to do emergency surgery on him, but he's come out from the anesthesia. He still can't talk, but I know he wants to see you." The doctor didn't have to tell her twice!

Anna rushed into Tony's room. He still looked agonized and miserable, but he was breathing.

"Tony, don't you dare scare me like that ever again!" she cried out, unable to help herself.

Her husband rewarded her with a weak smile, still unable to disguise the pain in his eyes.

Maybe it was the relief of seeing Tony alive, but she felt more dizzy and tired than ever. Going to the small hospital closet at the right side of the room, she found a thick pillow and placed it along the side of his bed, wedged between the bed railing and the armrest of a nearby chair.

"I see you're going to misbehave if I leave you alone for a minute…" she lectured crossly as she adjusted her position, half lying and half sitting across the chair and the pillow. "And I'll have you know that if I survive this torture device of a chair, I'm getting a deluxe package at the spa with a big hunky Swedish masseuse with hands of magic, Mister! And I don't want to hear any complaints about it either."

As she laid her head against the pillow, she noticed Tony was trying to move the fingers of his right hand. Taking his hand in her own, she squeezed it tightly.

"I love you, do you know that?" she said softly. "That's why you have to get well. You have to."

Closing her eyes, she held on to Tony's hand, listening to the beeping of the heart rate monitor…and once more returned to the fog…

-----------------------------------

A horrible groan woke Anna up.

"Tony?" she asked, even before opening her eyes.

"The anesthesia's wearing off a bit." Anna was startled to see Kayla in the room, and she wondered just how long she'd been asleep. Tony was also awake, seeming more active than she'd seen him before. "He's doing much better. Seems like the emergency surgery we did on the damage to his heart did the trick. He's going to be in pain though."

"But he's going to live?"

"I can't make any promises, but things are definitely looking better."

Tony released Anna's hand and even pointed to a notepad and pen.

"Tony!" Anna exclaimed as she reached for the stuff. "You can move around now. That's wonderful!"

With an effort, Tony began to scrawl on the paper. LOVE U, the note said.

"I love you too, Tony..." Anna swore. "So much. All of this has just been a horrible nightmare, but we'll get through it. I know we will."

Then Tony wrote...EJ.

"EJ?" You want to see him?"

Tony nodded.

"I'll see if he's outside," Kayla volunteered.

Anna didn't like the idea of Tony seeing his brother. Something bad had been going on before she got back to Salem. Something that had to do with Nicole. She didn't like it.

"Um, Kayla? Could I speak to you a second?"

"Of course."

"Outside?"

Kayla looked a little confused. "Sure."

"I'll be back in a second, lover..." Anna promised, kissing Tony on the cheek before following Kayla out into the hall.

Once they were alone, she felt she could speak freely.

"I really don't think it's a good idea for Tony to see EJ right now."

Kayla shrugged. "I don't see why he can't have visitors if he wants."

"Look..." Anna glanced down the hallway before speaking. She saw EJ pacing up and down the hall, coffee cup in hand. And there was Nicole, staring at her from across the room with a bizarre intensity. Anna didn't understand it, but she was certain that she had to stop whatever was going on. "When I first came into Tony's room, Nicole was there. And Tony's heart rate monitor was going berserk. It seemed as if he were about to have a stroke or something."

Kayla wrinkled her brow with curiosity.

"What do you think was going on?"

"I have no idea. But I just worry about other people upsetting him, especially Stefano. And if EJ's allowed to see him, then you know Stefano's going to demand to see him. And I just don't think Tony needs anyone upsetting him right now after all that happened before. Something's going on that I don't know about. All I know is that it was stressing Tony out, endangering his life."

Kayla looked skeptical.

"Please..." Anna begged. "Could you just let me be the only visitor for a while? Just until we know he's going to be okay? Maybe I'm being overprotective but...I don't need to tell you what it's like to be afraid for your husband's life. I don't need to tell you what it's like to be here like this."

Kayla's eyes darkened with painful memories before she nodded her head. "I understand. If that's what you want, sure."

"Thank you."

"Okay, I'll be back in a few."

With that, Anna returned to Tony's room.

"Sorry, Kayla doesn't think you're up to visitors, after all. Looks like you're stuck with just me, Mister."

He underlined EJ on the notepad, following it with an explanation point.

"Patience is a virtue, Count Dimera. You'll see EJ when you're better. Right now, your health is the only important thing."

He sighed petulantly, throwing the notepad down on the floor in disgust.

"Now don't be a bad boy, Tony..." Anna soothed, sitting beside him and stroking his hair. "Though it's nice to see you're getting your hot temper back. But you'll just have to accept that right now I'm the boss. Hmmm, I rather like the sound of that."

Despite his annoyance, Tony could not help but smile a little, a small sparkle in his eye.

Anna took his hand and brought it to her lips. She could feel him brush his fingertip softly against her cheek. And for the first time since that plane from Chicago, she felt like she could breathe again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Two weeks later..._

"I never thought I'd be so anxious to see this ghastly place again..." Tony Dimera announced with a sardonic smile as he was wheeled into the mansion by Bruno, the family driver. "If only I was out of this damned contraption!"

"I know, sweetheart," Anna soothed as she followed them inside. "But you know what Lexie said. You really must take it easy and not exert yourself too much right away. You don't need any extra strain on your heart."

"Would you like to be taken up to the upstairs guest room, sir?" Bruno asked.

"No, thank you! I've had enough of lying around in a bed to last me a lifetime!"

"Ah, Tony!" a familiar voice boomed.

Stefano Dimera entered the room, already sloshed on his beloved Strega and celebrating Tony's homecoming early.

"So good to have you home, son." He leaned over to embrace Tony in the wheelchair. "And Anna...welcome back to my home. It's just not the same without you here, gracing us with your presence."

Anna sneered at her father-in-law, seeing no point in pretending that they got along.

"Just save it, Stefano."

"As gracious as ever, I see..."

Anna turned away from him, pacing about in frustration. Why couldn't they have gone back to the Salem Inn like she had originally suggested rather than come to stay at Stefano's Haunted House of Horrors? For some mysterious reason that he had yet to share with her, Tony had insisted that they stay at the Dimera Mansion. He claimed it was because he would be more comfortable with the large guestroom bedroom and the household help, but she didn't buy it. She'd be more cozy at the reptile house at the Salem Zoo! And the animals there were a lot less predatory than the likes of Stefano and Nicole!

"Just the same..." Stefano continued, obviously indifferent to how uncomfortable he was making her. "I am so glad, Tony, that you are staying here. After our last conversation...well, we said horrible things to each other that I have regretted bitterly. I am hoping that we can once more make amends, yes?"

"I hope so as well, Father."

Hearing Tony's endearment for that monster made Anna inwardly cringe.

"And tonight, we shall have a special dinner to welcome your return to good health. EJ and Nicole and little Sydney will all be attending, along with your charming wife, of course. And I am having the chef make up your favorite cuisine tonight. Surely, it will be a pleasant change from that hospital garbage that they call food."

"I'm looking forward to it, Stefano..." Tony answered with a wan smile.

"Wonderful!" Stefano clapped his hands together. "So I shall just get changed for dinner. If you'll excuse me..."

Anna grit her teeth, using every ounce of self-control not to lash out at Stefano. But as soon as he was out of earshot, she let loose.

"Oh, this is just making me sick!" she exclaimed.

"Anna, please..."

She was too upset to care that Tony wanted her to stop.

"It's bad enough that we're even staying in this mausoleum! But I don't know how you can even consider forgiving Stefano after all he's done to us over the years. I don't know why you want to have anything to do with his 'Empire' and all his shady dealings. What happened to the man I fell in love with? The man who hated Stefano and all he stood for?"

Tony sighed, placing a hand to his forehead in anxiety. When she saw that her husband was growing pale and breathing shallowly, she immediately regretted her outburst and rushed to his side.

"Oh, darling, don't get all upset..." she pleaded desperately, falling to her knees beside him in his wheelchair. "I just want you to get well. That's all that matters to me...and I don't trust anyone here."

With a soft smile, Tony reached for her hand and kissed it.

"Anna, I know," he assured her. "Believe me, I know. But I have my own reasons for needing to be back here...and they have nothing to do with familial affection for Stefano. Just trust me."

"I would, except that you've been so secretive since I've come back, Tony. You're shutting me out when we used to share everything. I thought you were committed to starting that new advertising company. But now you seem to be throwing everything away for the sake of battling it out with Stefano...or trying to impress him...or...? Honestly, I don't even know what you're trying to do anymore."

"I'm just planning for us and our bright future," he explained, nuzzling his face against the knuckles of her hand. "Ah, you're going to set Manhattan on fire, my dear! I wonder if the Big Apple knows what it's in for."

Anna smiled with dreamy anticipation despite herself. "Well, the prospect of visiting those Fifth Avenue shops makes my mouth water," she admitted.

"You make my mouth water!" Tony chuckled. "Leave it to you to save the entire New York City economy once you've had your way with my credit cards...and speaking of which, I must talk to Bruno..."

"Bruno?" Anna repeated in confusion. "The new chauffeur?"

"Yes." Tony distractedly let go of her hand and tried to wheel over to the intercom at a desk near the side of the room. After bumping into furniture several times, he cursed viciously. "Oh, this is ridiculous!"

Getting out of the wheelchair, he stormed over to the desk on his own two feet.

"Bruno, I need to see you...right away!" he ordered.

"Yes sir," the voice called out from the intercom.

"Tony Dimera!" Anna fumed. "You sit down right now!"

"Oh, Anna..." he moaned with irritation. "This is so stupid. It's my heart that's the issue, not my legs! I can walk."

"Tony..." his wife pouted prettily, coaxing him back onto the wheelchair. "Please be a good boy... for me?"

"Well, when you ask in such a sexy way...and pout at me with that mouth..." Tony flirted with a devilish smile. "I suppose I'll find a way to cope. Maybe it would help if you sat on my lap?" He patted his thigh playfully as he sat down on the wheelchair.

"Tony!" she laughed. "That sort of thing will exert your heart too!"

"But how can you expect me to live like a monk when I'm married to such a beautiful woman?"

"Self control, Count Dimera," she lectured, slapping at his wandering hands. "I'm not going to see you in the hospital again...at least, not until I'm so old that I won't remember it anyway." With the memory of that horrible time that was only two weeks ago, Anna's mood sobered. "I'm serious, Tony. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I'd never been so scared before..."

"Oh, you're so sweet..." Tony pulled her down onto his lap despite her protests. "I was sure I was going to die, do you know that?" he murmured into her ear, rubbing his face against her hair. "I could feel my life slipping away more and more by the minute. But then you came back. And just the sight of your lovely face and hearing your loving words gave me the strength to hold on. I have so much to live for, Darling. And I owe my life to you..."

Anna swallowed back tears, clearly moved. It was odd. Sometimes, she was sure that they had grown far apart in recent months. But now, she felt as if she were just as in love with him as ever.

"Mr. Dimera?" Bruno's voice interrupted. "You needed me?"

Awkwardly, Anna got off Tony's lap. It was silly at her age to be blushing, but she could swear that she was.

"Yes." Tony's tone of voice changed to all business. "Do you remember the briefcase I had left in the trunk of the car before everything went so sour? Yes. I need it right away."

The driver's eyes grew wide. He started to shift from one foot to another nervously.

"Bruno? Is there a problem?"

"I'm afraid I can't give you the briefcase, sir..." Bruno confessed with a horrific effort. "I had to turn it over to the police."

"You WHAT?!"

The ferocity of Tony's anger caused Anna's heart to race. He stood up from the wheelchair abruptly, his promise to take it easy already forgotten.

"They had a warrant, sir."

"Who's 'they'?"

"Um...Bo and Hope Brady."

"Wonderful!" Tony huffed. He began to pace around the sitting room, growing increasingly agitated.

"I'm sorry, sir," the beefy employee turned red, breaking out into a sweat. "They said they needed it to investigate what happened at the site of your accident so that they could rule out any foul play."

"Well, you should have turned the matter over to EJ or Stefano!" Tony barked at the chauffeur. "They would have handled Bo and Hope Brady easily enough!"

"I would have...but they were at the hospital with you, sir. And we all thought you were dying and...well...it was the police, after all."

"I see you have a lot to learn if you want to continue being under employ here, Bruno..."

Tony's voice was quiet, threatening. It set Anna's nerves on edge.

"Tony.." she laughed, attempting to ease the tension of the moment. "This really isn't worth all the fussing about. I'll just give Roman a call and he can bring the silly briefcase back."

Tony considered the matter, his jaw tight with tension.

"No, I think I'd better go to the police station myself."

"What? Now?" Anna exclaimed. "But you just got home!"

"I have some very important documents in that briefcase."

"For heaven's sake, can't your business wait until you're better?"

"Anna, you don't seem to understand!" Tony whirled around to face her, his eyes wide with fury. "All of our plans! All of the promises I've made you...about New York and getting away from Stefano...everything! All of it depends upon those business papers in that briefcase."

"This has to do with that alternative fuels project, doesn't it?" Anna asked, cautiously.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "How did you know?"

"Phillip more or less told me what you were quarreling about."

"That project is our future."

"I don't need money and power, Tony. I don't even need New York. I just need you! I don't like how you're getting so worked up over this. Look at you! Your heart's already racing. Do you want to give yourself a heart attack?"

Tony looked at her blankly for a few minutes. Then he glanced at Bruno.

"Drive me to the police station...and be quick about it," he ordered the driver brusquely.

"Well, you're not going there without me!"

Relived that Tony didn't stop her from tagging along, Anna looked at him nervously as they sat together in the back of the limo, racing through the Salem streets towards downtown. And again, she wondered just what all had transpired with her husband while she was away in Switzerland.

---------------------------------------

_Thirty minutes later..._

"Well, Anna!" Roman Brady exclaimed, seeing his ex-wife at the police station. "And Tony! You're looking good, man. But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"That's what I've been telling him," Anna answered, sourly. "But he's been determined to retrieve a briefcase that's here at the station. Someone's getting it for us now."

"Well, why the hell didn't you call me? You didn't have to come all this way, after recovering from major heart surgery!"

Anna just shook her head in reply, frustrated.

"Excuse me..." Tony said abruptly, once he saw some officers returning from the back of the station with his briefcase.

"Is everything okay?" Roman asked his ex with some concern. "Tony seems a bit riled up."

"I don't know. He's been acting strangely ever since I got back. Maybe even before that."

"Well, you're looking better anyway, lady..." Roman teased, unable to repress a flirting grin. "You must be so pleased that Tony's back home."

"Roman, you have no idea. Now if only I could talk Tony out of moving out of Stefano Dimera's house, then everything would be..."

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE?!"

Interrupted by the commotion, Anna turned to witness Tony who was standing at a corner desk of the office, searching through the contents of his briefcase again...and again...

"They're not here..." he said softly.

"What?" Anna asked, immediately going to his side.

"They're not here!" Tony answered, making an effort to keep his voice down. "The papers I told you about. They're not here!"

"Wha...?"

Before Anna could ask him any more about it, Tony stormed over to Bo Brady's desk across the hallway, heedless of the surrounding officers who tried to block his path.

"Is it common policy to allow people to ransack private possessions here?' Tony demanded after entering Bo's office.

Stoically, Bo Brady stood up from his chair, sizing Tony up with a poker face. With his new promotion, he was dressed up in a suit and tie, looking very clean-cut. He had even shaved off his beard. Anna was not at all used to seeing her biker rebel ex-brother-in-law look so...well, respectable.

"Good afternoon to you too, Tony..." Be replied, calmly taking a sip from his coffee mug before noticing her. "Anna..." he nodded.

"Let's dispense with the formalities, shall we?" Tony hissed. "I had some very important papers in this briefcase. Very important papers. Some blueprints for a project that I'm working on. And they are no longer here!"

"Okay," Bo nodded. "And are you trying to accuse me of something?"

"Well, it's not the first time evidence has been removed or lost from this travesty of a department, is it?"

Anna did not at all like how Tony was looking. She had never seen him get so out-of-control before, so emotional. And even worse, his breath was becoming shallow again, his eyes wide with anger.

"Tony, please calm down!" she begged, rushing to his side. "You know that Bo wouldn't do anything to your briefcase, for heaven's sake! What's the matter with you?"

Tony simply brushed her off as if she were a gnat.

"Your wife's right," Bo answered. "If such an occurrence happened with your briefcase, which I doubt...I promise I will look into it."

"You'll look into it? Well, I guess I won't hold my breath for anything to get done about it then."

Losing his temper, Bo slammed his coffee cup down on his desk.

"I haven't had time to worry about your stinking briefcase, Tony! I was a little too busy trying to figure out if someone was responsible for what happened to you down at the pier. You know? When you almost died?"

"Yes...and it all very conveniently turned out to be an accident, didn't it? Very convenient for little Phillip especially. Just like these missing bluepoints are very convenient for him!"

"Just what are you trying to say?"

"Don't forget I know who you are!" Tony retorted in fury. "A Kiriakis protecting his younger brother from whatever reprehensible acts that little punk sees fit to do. You've done it before and you'd do it again...and to hell with justice or rules! Oh, you like to pretend you're just good old Shawn Brady's son! That you're so much better than everyone else in this town, but deep down just a filthy chip off of the old Kiriakis block. And you've never fooled me, Bo! NOT FOR A SECOND!"

"Dimera, you're really crossing the line..." Bo threatened through clenched teeth. "Now I suggest that you..."

"NO, BO! YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE!!!"

Suddenly, Tony's face turned beet-red as he clutched at his chest. He fell to his knees, wheezing, his eyes bulged out in agony.

The sickening waves of panic hit Anna with a violence as she saw her husband fall to the floor. "Not again, Lord..." she prayed. "Please...not again..."

---------------------------------------

_The next evening…_

Due to Tony's near fatal mishap at the police station, he had to stay overnight yet again at the hospital. Lexie deemed it okay for him to return home the next evening, provided that he was cared for at all times and provided that no one was to upset him.

Anna wasn't sure which was the more lethal place: the hospital or the Dimera Mansion.

Regardless, she was now camped out in the guest bedroom, taking care of Tony mostly for herself. At least, she didn't have to sit through a horrible dinner with Stefano, Nicole and EJ. Now she could just curl up by Tony's side, engrossed in her novel when she wasn't taking care of him. At this point, she was at a particularly steamy chapter in her book. Yet, she was so comfortable and content, cuddled up by Tony's side on the bed that her brain seemed to blank out on her. The words no longer had any meaning. She could not keep her eyes open.

Placing the book down on the nightstand, she curled up by Tony, who was sound asleep. Nuzzling her face against his back, she pretended like nothing bad had ever happened…that they were back in Nice, dancing the nights away, going through bottles of expensive wine like they were water…

WAAAAHHH!!!

Anna awoke with a start. It was Sydney again.

The baby was adorable. She really was; and yet, she was so loud. It truly took talent to be heard throughout the entire mansion, but Sydney was a champion at rousing everyone when she was hungry.

"Come on, Nicole…" Anna grumbled as the crying continued. "Feed your baby."

Was Carrie ever so much trouble? She truly couldn't remember.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Oh, now what?" she groaned, throwing on her pink silk robe as she went to answer the door.

With a gasp, she pulled her robe around herself tightly. She had expected Mary or perhaps EJ…but not the portly man in front of her with dark black hair and a white coat.

"Hello, Mrs. Dimera…" the unfamiliar doctor introduced himself. "Unfortunately, Dr. Carver and Dr. Johnson weren't able to make it here to the mansion to check on Tony tonight. But I am glad to help out. My name is Dr. Baker…"


	4. Chapter 4

"Who the hell are you?"

Anna was shocked to hear Tony's first words upon his waking up to see Dr. Baker. The doctor was taking his pulse and temperature, doing the usual medical routine. She didn't understand why her husband was getting so upset. As it was, he stared up at the doctor with wide concerned eyes, almost not letting him take his blood pressure.

"I'm Dr. Baker." The man introduced himself. "Tony, you should try to get some rest. Your blood pressure is dangerously high for a man in your condition."

"Dr…what is it?" Tony asked.

"Dr. Baker."

"Dr. Baker…may I speak with my wife for a moment…alone?"

"Of course."

As soon as the door closed behind the doctor, Tony asked in a hushed voice, "Why is he here?"

Anna shrugged. "Apparently Lexie and Kayla were too busy to make house calls."

Tony squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"And Stefano allowed this Dr. Baker to just come to the house?" he asked.

"Well, I really couldn't say. What difference does it make?"

"Stefano had Dr. Jonas removed from my case so that Lexie could take over," Tony explained. "He didn't even want Kayla involved, except Lexie insisted upon it. So why all of a sudden is Dr. Baker allowed to be involved?"

"Oh, what does it matter…as long as you're being seen by someone?"

"Dr. Baker…" he repeated, concentrating intensely. "The name sounds familiar, and yet I can't really place it."

"Well, Baker's a pretty common name."

Tony shook his head.

"If I can't see Lexie or Kayla, I'd rather not be treated."

"Oh, Tony…don't be ridiculous!"

At first, Anna was just giving Tony the benefit of the doubt because he was feeling so unwell. But now she was truly losing her temper. Honestly, he could be just as paranoid as Stefano at times!

"There's something about that man that I don't trust!"

"Just because Stefano didn't give him the official Dimera seal of approval?!"

Tony remained stonily silent, causing her to shake her head in disgust.

"All of the talk I've heard from you over the years about how Stefano has dragged the Dimera name through the mud, how he is evil and corrupt, how you want to be nothing like him…all of that was just a waste of my time, wasn't it?"

"Oh, Anna…don't start on that again…"

This time, she continued to speak her mind and would not let him shrug her off.

"Why do you trust a man so much who kept you imprisoned on an island? He's got you so under his thumb that you won't even see a doctor that he hasn't officially approved of? Never mind the fact that you nearly died not so long ago! Never mind the fact that I was nearly made a widow!"

"You just don't understand how dangerous it is to be a Dimera. One has to be very careful…"

"Oh, I don't want to hear it!" Anna huffed. "If you don't give a damn about your health, why should I?" Standing up from the nearby easy chair, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She knew if she stayed in the same place as Tony for much longer, they would get into an even worse fight. And she wasn't sure if his health was up to one of their knockdown drag-out fights.

"Is something wrong, Mrs. Dimera?" Dr. Baker had been lingering out in the hallway; and to Anna's surprise, a robed Nicole was watching just down the hall with sleepy Sydney cradled in her arms. "Tony seems to have some reticence about being treated. If this is going to be a problem, then perhaps I should just go back to the hospital. I have plenty of other patients that I need to attend to."

"No…no…please…" The thought of Tony spending the night at home without proper medical care, after the near stroke he had experienced at the police station, terrified her. "If you could just wait here, hopefully I can get this situation straightened out right away."

Leaving the bemused doctor waiting in the foyer by the bedroom, Anna rushed down the stairs.

"Anna!" She was immediately confronted by Stefano. "What is the matter? Is everything all right? I thought I heard a bit of a commotion upstairs."

For a moment, Anna contemplated to just go ahead and tell Stefano what was going on. But she remembered too much. There were a lot of people in this town who had short memories, a lot of people who were willing to forget all of the crimes Stefano had committed over the years. Why else was he allowed to roam the streets free when by all rights he should have been shown the gas chamber decades ago? Well, she still remembered all that he had done…to her and to Tony and to Roman. And even if she had to live in his creepy house, that did not mean that she had to confide in him in any fashion.

"I was looking for EJ," she answered abruptly.

"He's out on a business errand. Is there something I can help you with? For Tony, I would do anything!"

Stefano's hypocritical exclamations of love for the son that he had tortured and imprisoned made Anna want to throw up.

"I don't think so. I need EJ."

"Yes?" A the sound of the familiar English accent, Anna sighed with relief. She turned to see EJ entering the sitting room, taking off his coat and putting down his briefcase. "Anna, you needed to see me? Is it about Tony?"

"Yes."

Hurriedly, Anna grabbed EJ's arm, leading him to the library. She took great pleasure in shutting the library door right into Stefano's curious and angry face.

"Tony won't be seen by the doctor," she whispered frantically. "I don't know what to do about it!"

"Why on earth won't he see Lexie?"

"No, no…it's not Lexie. Lexie wasn't able to come here. And neither could Kayla, apparently."

"Lexie wasn't able to come?" EJ was outraged. "Tony is our brother. He should be her first priority!"

"I don't know," Anna shook her head in frustration. "I don't know why she isn't here. All I know is that another doctor was sent here in her place. A Dr. Baker."

EJ's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Dr. Baker?"

"Yes." She was taken aback by EJ's expression. "Why? Do you know him?"

"That's Nicole's obstetrician…" he mused. "But last I had heard, he had an office that was on the outskirts of Salem. He certainly wasn't working at Salem University Hospital."

"An obstetrician seeing Tony?" she asked in outrage. "He needs a heart specialist, not an obstetrician! Just what is going on?"

"I don't know." EJ paced about, his hand up to his forehead. "Nicole's been acting very strangely for some time now. And this doctor was all mixed up in it. She insisted on using him as her doctor, although for the life of me I can't imagine why. Perhaps I should call Lexie?"

"Yes, that's a good idea."

As Anna made her way up the hallway, she heard hushed urgent voices. It was Dr. Baker and Nicole! Pausing on the stairs, she strained to hear what they were saying.

"Why do you want me involved with Tony Dimera's case?"

"I don't think that you are in any position to ask me any questions!"

Anna was surprised to hear the unpleasant tone of Nicole's commanding voice. What happened to EJ's sweet fiancée, the vapid blonde who was mother of the precious new Dimera baby? She sounded like an absolute witch!

"Nicole, don't try to hold my sins against me. We've been through this before. I have just as much on you as you have on me. You can't make me do anything!"

"I'm not! I just want you to keep an eye on Tony for me, that's all."

But…oh…" Dr. Baker laughed loudly. "Oh, I get it!" Nicole shushed him furiously. "He knows something, doesn't he? He knows about what you pulled with Sydney?"

"He doesn't know anything!"

"You're lying, Nicole," Dr. Baker said with a hint of smugness in his voice. "I've gotten to know you fairly well over the last few months. You'd only come to me for help if you were desperate. And Tony Dimera's got you pretty damned desperate. So what? First, you want me to watch him…and then what are you going to do if he doesn't stay quiet? Are you going to have me give him a little needle with poison in it?"

"Of course not. Just shut up!"

"I've heard the rumors about you. About Colin Murphy and Victor Kiriakis. You're not above a little bit of murder to get your way, are you, Nicole? Are you sure you didn't rig that little accident to happen to Tony at the pier?"

Anna put a hand to her mouth at the sound of the word 'murder'. Just what had Tony gotten himself mixed up in this time? And she was a loss about what to do. Tony knew something about Nicole, something that had to do with Sydney apparently. And that secret was obviously a deadly one. She thought about going back downstairs to EJ and telling him everything she had just heard; yet, her instinct told her that he wouldn't believe her. EJ was a man very much in love with his fiancée. It would take more than just a few words from his sister-in-law to convince him of the truth. But just what was the truth?

Resolutely, she continued up the stairs.

"Dr. Baker?" she called out. The way Dr. Baker and Nicole suddenly stepped apart, trying to hide their conspiracy, almost made her laugh had she not been so scared and furious. "I'm afraid Tony insists that Lexie be his doctor. I'm so sorry for all your trouble." And then, as a pretended afterthought, she looked at Nicole. "Oh, hello there, Nicole? Did little Sydney finally go to sleep at last?"

"Don't you think that Tony should be seen by a doctor, regardless of who it is, Anna?" Nicole asked, adopting that oh-so-concerned tone in her voice. "He gave us all such a scare yesterday."

Honestly, Anna wanted to scratch her eyes out!

"We'll take our chances; but it's so sweet of you to be concerned, Nicole. Dr. Baker?" Anna gestured down the stairs. "The exit is downstairs, take a left down the main foyer. Mary can show you out."

"Well…" he huffed. "If that's why you want…"

"It is."

As the doctor left, Anna stared at Nicole warily.

"Good night, Nicole," she said, trying to hide the coldness in her voice.

"Good night." Nicole turned toward her bedroom but then turned back again to face her. "I really worry about Tony, Anna. Dr. Baker is a fine doctor. He was my obstetrician. I'm sure he'll take very good care of Tony."

"It's so sweet of you to be so concerned about my husband," Anna purred, like a cat ready to strike out viciously. "EJ was telling me how often you sat by his side at the hospital. How interested you were in his well being. If I didn't know better, I'd think that was something was going on between you two."

"With me and Tony?" Nicole looked as if she were about to laugh. "Not at all! But he is Sydney's godfather and EJ's brother. I'm just concerned."

"Well, I'm back now…" Anna said with a fake smile. "So you needn't worry anymore. Good night."

Entering their bedroom, Anna closed the door and leaned against it, locking it. As if that would keep all of the danger away, somehow…

"Did you find out who that Dr. Baker fellow was?"

Tony's voice caused her to jump nervously.

"He was Nicole's obstetrician."

"Yes!" he cried out, his eyes excited. "That's how I knew the name! But why would Lexie send an obstetrician to examine me?"

"I have a feeling Lexie doesn't know a thing about it."

"What?"

Anna studied her husband carefully.

"Tony, has something been going on here that you haven't been telling me? Something else, besides all that nonsense about Melanie Layton's project?"

"No…of course not…"

Tears blurred Anna's vision.

"You're lying to me! Tony, why are you always lying to me!?"

"Anna…Anna…dear…" He reached out for her, but she stayed planted at the bedroom door, sobbing helplessly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Please don't look at me that way!" She could see that he was breaking out into a sweat, his heart racing.

The threat of Tony possibly ending up back in that hospital again was too powerful for her. As she walked over to the bed, sat down by his side and held him close, the memory of watching the paramedics hovering over him with electric paddles caused her to shudder uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry…" she said softly, fighting back her sobs as she cuddled next to him. "I guess I'm still just stressed out from everything that's happened. That's all…"

"It will be all right…" he soothed, stroking her hair. "Once I'm better, I'll take care of you for a change. We'll go travel the world and lounge about in spas all day and lie on the beach. We'll have a third honeymoon…or will it be the fourth?"

Despite Tony's attempts to make jokes, Anna couldn't find it in herself to laugh. She wanted to scream and shake the truth out of him.

Again, she remembered the image of the hospital window blinds closing, parting her from him forever. Now was not the right time to go into it, not when his health was so obviously fragile. She liked to tell herself he was getting better every day, but that wasn't true. The attack he had at the police station proved that. And Lexie said that he had to stay calm.

But she had to do something and fast…for Dr. Baker was right. Nicole Kiriakis was all too capable of murder; and for some reason, she was out to get Tony. But how could she find her way through all of the deception and conspiracy and lies? How could she discover the truth and keep Tony safe?

And then the idea struck her.

Perhaps in order to save Tony's life, she would have to make a deal with the Devil himself…

-------------------------------------------

_The next morning…_

Much as it galled at her to do so, Anna arose early the next morning, hoping to find Stefano over his usual extravagant breakfast in the family dining room. She was not disappointed.

"Anna!" he bellowed at the sight of her. "Come join me!"

"Thank you, Stefano…" she smiled graciously, taking a seat across from him. "I don't mind if I do."

Stefano's expression of surprise at her polite acceptance nearly caused Anna to spit out her mouthful of orange juice with laughter.

"I'll have a swiss and spinach omelet, please…" she demanded prettily of Stefano's cook, who seemed more than slightly annoyed at the extra meal that had to be prepared.

"Nice to know you're getting your appetite back."

"Yes. I'm feeling much better, Stefano. Thank you for asking."

There was a long pause between the two of them. Obviously, Stefano had no idea how to handle her when she was being so agreeable.

"How is Tony?" he asked, not quite masking the suspicion in his eyes.

"Physically? As well as can be expected…"

Anna relished the long torturous silence that Stefano was enduring as she leisurely took a bite of toast. The raspberry jam was delicious! Stefano did know how to eat well, she would give him that.

"But?" He finally asked.

"Let's just say I'm very concerned for his safety right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that since I've been away, Tony has made some enemies. I was wondering if you knew anything about that. And if you truly love Tony the way that you've been claiming these days, you'll tell me the truth."

Stefano nodded his head.

"Well, I'm holding that young upstart Phillip Kiriakis responsible for what happened at the pier that night. I will never believe that was some sort of freak accident. People have been going up and down that stairway at the pier for as long as I can remember. There was never even so much as a safety regulation broken at that spot. Why all of a sudden should he trip and fall like that…and oh, so conveniently become impaled on a spike of wood that had never been there before? I don't believe it. Only a fool would expect me to believe a ridiculous excuse like that!"

Anna nodded. "You definitely have a point." And then gingerly, she paused, taking in the sight of the beautiful omelet the chef had placed before her. "But I don't think that Phillip is the Kiriakis who is the biggest threat to Tony right now."

"Oh, Victor will get his too. I assure you!"

"And how well do you know Nicole?"

"Nicole?" The exclamation nearly caused Stefano to spit out his food. After swallowing, he shrugged indifferently. "She's going to marry EJ. She's the mother of my granddaughter. What else is there to know about her?"

"Did you know that she sent Dr. Baker here last night to spy on me and Tony?"

"Dr. Who?"

"Well, that answers that question."

"Anna," Stefano sighed impatiently. "Will you please just get to the point and tell me what is going on?"

"For some reason, Nicole wants Tony quiet. He knows something about her that she obviously doesn't want to be public knowledge. And it has something to do with Sydney."

"But what could Tony possibly know?"

"I don't know."

"Well, did you ask him?"

"He won't tell me. And I was worried that if I pressed him too hard about it, it would upset him."

Stefano narrowed his eyes in concentration as he took a sip from his Mimosa. "The Convent of the Holy Cross…" he muttered softly.

"What?" she asked, not having believed she'd heard right.

"The Convent of the Holy Cross!"

Stefano's eyes lit up excitedly as he said the words.

"Stefano, this is no time to try to find religion. Besides, I think when it comes to heaven, that ship has long since sailed for you!"

"No…no…you fool! Nicole had been going there."

"Well, I think Valhalla's a pretty lost cause for her as well," she quipped.

"She was doing some sort of volunteer work."

Anna snickered. "Nicole?"

"That was my reaction as well. I don't believe for a second that she was volunteering. But she had spent a lot of time there, especially right before Sydney was born. I meant to look more into her actions, but with everything that had happened, I got distracted."

"So you think it's a good place to start looking?"

Stefano shrugged with obvious frustration. "At the moment, it's all we have to go on. But my instinct rarely fails me. I'll look into that place and what has really been going on there right away!"

Before Stefano left, Anna stopped him. It pained her to say so, but she felt like she had to thank him for helping her with Tony.

He nodded with grace.

"As I said, I would do anything for my son. And, much as I love my grandchildren, it gets a bit boring sitting around this house, reading Machiavelli to them all day long. I am not a man made for sitting still. But I am curious, Anna. Why did you ask for my help? I know how much you despise me."

"Because," she answered matter-of-factly. "You have the resources we need to get the job done. You claim to care for Tony. But most of all, I imagine that you can see through all the lies and conspiracy better than anyone else. After all, you are the master of deceit."

With a small smile, he nodded with satisfaction and left the room.

Only Stefano Dimera would be perverse enough to take her remark as a compliment…she noted wryly. Yet she couldn't help but feel victorious. If anyone could get to the bottom of this mystery in record time, it would be her monstrous father-in-law.


End file.
